Knights Open NCAA Championships with 5-0 win Over Grinnell

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Carleton College women’s tennis team jumped out to an early lead and recorded a 5-0 victory over Grinnell College in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Katherine Greenberg (So./St. Louis, Mo./Clayton) and Erin Gudul (Sr./North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) each recorded wins in both singles and doubles to spearhead the Knights’ triumph. Carleton advances to Saturday’s second round and takes on regional host University of Chicago at 2 p.m.

Carleton (19-5), which defeated Grinnell by a 9-0 margin earlier this year, swept the doubles competition once again. Bridget Doyle (Jr./Mendota Heights, Minn./Visitation) and Anne Lombardi (So./Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) picked up the first point in the team competition with their 8-2 victory at second doubles. Gudul and Kathryn Schmidt (Sr./Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins) prevailed, 8-1, at the first slot moments later.

The Knights’ third doubles pairing of Greenberg and Molly Hemes (So./Green Bay, Wis./Preble) found themselves in a 6-1 hole before beginning the long climb to victory. The Carleton duo closed to within 7-6, then won the next three games to close out the match, 9-7.

Leading 3-0 in the team competition, the singles matches quickly went in Carleton’s favor. Greenberg picked up the fourth team point with a decisive 6-0, 6-0 win at sixth singles. Gudul swept the first set en route to a 6-0, 6-2 triumph, giving the Knights their fifth and victory-clinching point.

During the post-season, teams only play to decision, but Carleton was in front in three of the other four matches. At first singles, Schmidt led 6-3, 2-0 when play was halted, while Lombardi was also up a set at 6-4 and 3-0 in the third singles match. Doyle held a 5-4 advantage late in the first set at second singles.

Just like today’s contest was a re-match of a regular-season get-together, Carleton will play a familiar opponent on Saturday as the Knights faced Chicago (19-4) during the teams annual Spring Break trip, however none of Carleton’s current doubles pairings played together on that day.

In the other side of the regional bracket, Washington-St. Louis (15-7) will face UW-Whitewater (22-4), which defeated Wisconsin Lutheran, 5-0, on Friday morning. The Chicago-Carleton winner plays the Washington-UW-Whitewater victor in the regional finals on Sunday.